Eye fixation hand pieces are used by surgeons for engaging and holding an eye at a fixed reference position during eye surgery. Some of these hand pieces, such as the Thornton fixation ring, engage the eye with barbs. Others, such as the one shown in Krasner U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,623, suggest a vacuum attachment to the eye, but painfully deform the eye between ridges. Vacuum attachment of an eye fixation device is also suggested in FIG. 2 of L'Esperance U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,418 and in O'Dell U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,698; but these are not hand pieces.
We have devised an improved eye fixation hand piece that is especially useful for laser surgery on an eye. Our hand piece makes a secure, but non-painful engagement with the eye, allows the surgeon to hold the eye steady at a fixed reference position during the surgery, and also directs a purging gas jet against the eye to remove tiny particles that are formed as laser pulses ablate away corneal tissue. Our hand piece is also easily disengaged from the eye and accomplishes all its functions conveniently and reliably while allowing the surgeon to view the operating field within a fixation ring.